A Beginners Guide To Denture

Missing teeth can cause numerous dental problems, including difficulty chewing and talking. Jawbone deterioration, facial sagging, and shifting of the adjacent teeth are other common side effects of having empty gaps. When you’re missing several teeth on either jaws, dentures, bridges, and implants are the major replacement options to consider.

However, replacing several teeth with bridges and implants can have considerably high costs. Dentures, however, can be more cost-effective when you have significant tooth loss. Dentures are artificial tooth-like dental devices used to replace missing teeth.

Usually, dentures are supported by surrounding hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity. For this reason, you must have healthy gums and sufficient jawbone structure to ensure optimal support of the denture. Dentures can be fixed or removable.

Who’s a Good Candidate for Dentures?

Anyone with more than one missing tooth can benefit from dentures. Common reasons for missing teeth include:

• Natural aging
• Cavities
• Poor dental care
• Periodontal disease
• Facial or Jaw injury
• Teeth extraction

Factors that can increase your possibility of teeth loss include:

• Being Male
• Old age, older than 35 years
• Existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes
• Tobacco use
• Poor at-home and professional dental care

Dentures Procedure

1. Initial Consultation

If you’re interested in dentures, the first step is to visit a dentist near you or contact our riffle dentist for a professional exam. The dentist will inspect your teeth, if any, gums, jawbone, and overall health. The dentist might also need to take some X-rays of your mouth. Once you’re confirmed for the procedure, your dentist will create a treatment plan and schedule you accordingly.

2. Dentures preparation

After the consultation, your dentist will go ahead and prepare the dentures. This takes about a few weeks. To make the denture, the dentist will have to make models of your teeth and other measurements to ensure a perfect fit. The impressions and other records are sent to the dental lab, where the dentures are made.

3. Fitting the dentures

Once the dentures are ready, you’ll be called in for the fitting procedure. This procedure ensures that the dentures fit perfectly without any discomfort or pain. If necessary, the dentures can be adjusted to your preferences.

4. Getting used to wearing the dentures

Even if the dentures fit perfectly, it will take time to get used to wearing them. For the next few days and weeks, you may find trouble chewing and speaking with dentures. Once your tongue gets used to the dentures, it will feel normal. If you experience any side effects, contact your dentist immediately. To speak to an emergency dentist in Rifle, contact Riffle Dental care.

Common Types of Dentures

You can have any of the following dentures:

• Complete Dentures – They replace all the upper or lower teeth, or both.
• Partial Dentures – Replaces one or several teeth on either jaw.
• Partial Removable Dentures – Ideal for individuals with several missing teeth but prefer the removable option
• Partial fixed dentures – These are non-removable dentures suited for patients who are missing several teeth.
• Implant-Supported Dentures – A dental implant anchors the denture.
• Immediate/Same-Day Dentures – These dentures are placed on the same day the patient’s teeth are extracted.

Aftercare Dentures

After getting dentures, you’ll have to put more effort into your daily dental routine. If plaque and bacteria build up on the dentures, it can cause bad breath, stomatitis – inflammation of the soft tissues, oral thrush, and bone loss. To prevent any dental problems when using dentures, use these tips:

• Gently and thoroughly brush your dentures every night with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Removable dentures should be soaked overnight in a denture-cleaner liquid. Before wearing them in the morning, brush them again. Never use hot water to prevent distorting the dentures.
• When cleaning the dentures, hold them over a folded towel or a basin of water. Dentures can break if they fall.
• Brush your teeth, if any, gums, tongue, and palate every night after removing the dentures and every morning before inserting the dentures.
• Notify your dentist immediately if your dentures are ill-fitting, chip, or crack. Never try to fix or repair them by yourself, as you can damage them further.
• Schedule regular dental exams and cleanings.
• Avoid hard or chewy foods as they can cause the dentures to slip, fall out, or break.

Schedule An Appointment Today

Do you think that you’re a good candidate for dental dentures? Contact Rifle Dental Care today to book your appointment.